All Blacks team to play South Africa in first Test in Johannesburg
All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie has named his team to play South Africa on Saturday 22 August at 10bet Ellis Park, Johannesburg in the first Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, presented by Castle Double Malt.Kick off 5.10PM local time (3.10AM Sunday 23 August NZT) LIVE on Sky Sport. Highlights available on allblacks.com and the All Blacks and Black Ferns app.
All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets) :
1. Ethan de Groot (43)
2. Codie Taylor (109)
3. Tyrel Lomax (51)
4. Josh Lord (15)
5. Fabian Holland (12)
6. Tupou Vaa’i (47)
7. Luke Jacobson (27)
8. Ardie Savea (109) – Captain
9. Cam Roigard (20)
10. Ruben Love (8)
11. Josh Moorby (2)
12. Jordie Barrett (81)
13. Quinn Tupaea (26)
14. Will Jordan (57)
15. Damian McKenzie (77)
RESERVES:
16. Asafo Aumua (22)
17. George Bower (26)
18. Fletcher Newell (37)
19. Anton Segner (2)
20. Peter Lakai (10)
21. Kyle Preston (1)
22. Anton Lienert-Brown (90)
23. Leroy Carter (7)
Loose forward and Captain Ardie Savea, halfback Cam Roigard and outside back Will Jordan will make their first appearance of the tour against the Springboks on Saturday. Damian McKenzie has also returned from injury to start at fullback.
Savea and hooker Codie Taylor are playing their 110th Tests. It will be Savea’s 18th Test against South Africa and Taylor’s 17th. Anton Segner and Josh Moorby will be playing South Africa for the first time.
“After all the build up and anticipation, our whole touring squad is excited to get this first Test underway,” Rennie said.
“We have selected a balanced mix of big match, experienced players and younger players who have earned the right to play in this first Test.
“The first three franchise games have exposed our newer players to the way South African teams play and have been fantastic in helping us build combinations and develop the game we want to play.
“We know the Test series will be a huge step up. We’re well aware of what the Springboks will bring to the contest and the pressure that will come to bear. They are number one in the world, playing at their spiritual home in front of their passionate fans, so we will have to be at our very best on Saturday.”
MATCH FACTS
- The All Blacks have played South Africa 110 times, for 63 wins, 43 losses and four draws. The first game was in 1921 at Carisbrook, Dunedin, which the All Blacks won 13-5. The last match between the great rivals was last year in Wellington, which the Springboks won 43-10.
- The All Blacks have played the Springboks at 10bet Ellis Park 16 times, with South African winning ten times and the All Blacks six.
- This year’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry is the 13th Test series between the All Blacks and Springboks. The ledger is tied at five each, with the first two series drawn (1921 and 1928). The Springboks then won five of the next seven to 1976. New Zealand had won only at home, in 1956 and 1965, having lost at home in 1937. New Zealand has won the last three series, 1981 and 1994 at home, and 1996 in South Africa, the famous first away victory.
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- The Springboks and the All Blacks are currently ranked first and second in the men’s world rankings and have combined to win seven of the 10 Rugby World Cups contested since the tournament began in 1987. The All Blacks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 1987, 2011 and 2015, while South Africa have won it four times, in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023. Two of those finals have been played directly between the great rivals. South Africa won 15-12 after extra time at Ellis Park in 1995, before edging the All Blacks 12-11 at Stade de France in 2023. It should also be noted that South Africa did not play in the first two Rugby World Cup tournaments in 1987 and 1991.
